And the Oh, Welcome back everyone to 101,001 Heroes, Legends, Histories, and Mysteries

Podcast. This is your host, John Hegedorn. This is the story of a woman who

became a true hero to millions of women and young girls.

Her name known to us is Annie Oakley.

Annie Oakley, whose life up until the age of 15 would rival that of any Dickens child creation lived an incredible full life

becoming an international celebrity as well as a role model for young women. The top

celebrity of her time, Colonel William F. Cody, called her Missy. The famous Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bowl

adopted her summarily as his daughter and called her with Tanya Sisilla, meaning

little Jurjot. She came to meet and know kings and queens and

princes and the celebrities of her day. She offered the services of 50 women's

sharpshooters to President McKinley when World War I broke out.

And she sued publisher William Hurst, $27,000 for libel and won.

She had a very ladylike tea with Queen Victoria,

and yet could shoot with accuracy while standing on the

back of a running horse. Although she was in Ohioan, a Midwesterner, she became a

symbol of the rapidly disappearing Wild American West through her long association with

Buffalo Bill's traveling Wild West show where she was the most popular performer.

No one else even came close.

Today's story comes from a wide variety of sources, books, documentaries, old magazine articles, interviews, and newspaper accounts.

In other words, this was a deep dive because I wanted to know and share everything I could regarding Annie Oakley and why she meant so much to so many people.

I can't think of another famous female from her era or otherwise who broke so many barriers

and who had to handle as much adversity as she did and still maintain the level of coordination

...